Good sharpness, amazing when stopped down, Infinity stop (this is rare for AF lenses, and it's very precise on this lens), solid build, very little distortion for the zoom range and the price.

Cons:

BAD Quality control. Electric band (connecting mount to lens electronics) gets damaged from zooming - it's crazy that they launched it to market like this. I bought the lens with the damaged electric band (aperture was stuck half-closed) and focus is really slow because of this defect. Now the lens works fine, except slow AF, and f/5.6 gets Err99, only f/5.6 does that - weird. This might not happen to your lens, but since there are quite a few out there that have this, I'd say be weary, check the screws if it's been open (that might indicate it did have the fault and it might happen again, soon).

Jul 31, 2014

gabrielgartnerOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: May 5, 2010Location: United StatesPosts: 63

Review Date: May 25, 2012

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7

Pros:

build, price

Cons:

color rendering

This is an outstanding lens for a budget conscience photographer. Built like a tank but not so large that it's cumbersome in the field. Accepts standard width filters (though i was told there would be vignetting without a slim polarizer, this does not seem to be the case).

My copy seems to give a slightly warm color cast to most of my photos (on a d300s) which is noticeable enough in many photos to mark my overall rating down to an average grade of 7. However, this color cast can be removed fairly easily in post--but it's still one more thing added to my workflow.

May 25, 2012

BetacammanOfflineBuy and Sell: On

Registered: Jun 12, 2011Location: United StatesPosts: 563

Review Date: May 24, 2012

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $300.00
| Rating: 9

Pros:

Build quality, sharpness

Cons:

Maybe a bit large and heavy, but not unmanagable

Only reason I sold it is because I moved to APS-H from APS-C. Quality was great, especially for the price.

May 24, 2012

hokiejimboOfflineBuy and Sell: On

Registered: Aug 24, 2008Location: United StatesPosts: 10

Review Date: May 22, 2012

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $450.00
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Great IQ, Great Colors, Contrast.

Cons:

AF is a tad slow... luckily at 12-24mm you don't spend much time focusing... and focus is still precise.
Not for full frame! I want something this well built with this price on my 5DMKII.

This was my favorite lens for my 7D. I let a friend borrow it on a trip to Bolivia, and they were in a car accident. The vehicle flipped several times, and only 2 lenses survived - this was one of them, and the 70-200/4ISL was the other. This thing is rugged, and has been on my camera for many of my best photos. I'd recommend this over any of the other wide-angles I've tested.

May 22, 2012

seagrove01OfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Dec 16, 2004Location: United StatesPosts: 119

Review Date: Aug 16, 2011

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Absolutely outstanding lens in my judgment! I have owned this lens since it first hit the streets and have used it for everything from newspaper work to weddings to personal. It is a solid performer in DX clothing. Absolutely stunning images out of my "vintage" D2H bodies. Brand new it costs half of what the [then] new Nikkor 12-24 f4 was costing.

Cons:

Aug 16, 2011

r.reuleOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Oct 23, 2010Location: NetherlandsPosts: 0

Review Date: Oct 23, 2010

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $400.00
| Rating: 9

Pros:

the range 12-24 is perfect on a cropped camera. Colours and Sharpness are nice, including a hood

Cons:

It looks an feels like a tank, but i had an apparture problem after the garanty period what takes me a month for repair. Sometimes it isn,t fast enough. Doesnt fit to a FF body.

I had e problem with the apparture after two years, it was no garanty anymore, Tokina Netherlands fixed it for me (about € 130,=) It is a well known problem with al lot of copies they told me...

Before and after that problem it is my favorite lens. I used it all the time on a canon 20D. For indoor events, sometimes i wish I had a faster 2.8 lens,most of the time I prefere al tripod with f11.

I would like to change to FF in futere, in didnt change till now because of this lens doesn't fit to Full Frame.

This (and its 11-16 sister) is the best current choice for an APS-C ultrawide, at least in the Canon scope. It's sharp, it's decently fast (f/4 vs. f/4-5.6 or even f/4.5-5.6 as the Sigmas) and it's built well. Typically Tokina.

Another typical Tokina feature, though much less desirable, is the amount of chromatic aberrations. Also the lens is getting noticeably less sharp towards 24mm wide open, but it wasn't a deal breaker for me. Stopped down to about f/6.3 it was fully sharp again. The 12mm/f4 combination was excellent.

Eventually I sold it as I didn't want an ultrawide at the time and envisioned switching to 1D in the future. Now I wish it had been compatible so that I would have kept it.

Might sound too enthusiastic, but I give this lens an absolute 10.
Does this mean it's perfect? No, not at all, but it's better than you'd expect for the money. A lot better. It's built like a much more expensive lens, gives oustanding image quality.
Can't ask more. Absolutely happy with it.

Sep 24, 2010

fstoppedOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Nov 18, 2009Location: United StatesPosts: 2

Review Date: Mar 25, 2010

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9

Pros:

Simple, solid, sharp -- can't imagine any better!

Cons:

i've only had this lens a week -- no negatives so far

Mar 25, 2010

halarosOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Sep 21, 2009Location: GreecePosts: 38

Review Date: Jan 29, 2010

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8

Pros:

build quality, good price/value, wharm colours,

Cons:

sharpness

A very honest choise at this focal range. It 's not an L lens but it doesn't have L price as well. I suggest it this lens

Jan 29, 2010

bobcita68OfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Nov 3, 2009Location: ItalyPosts: 0

Review Date: Nov 4, 2009

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Excellent build quality, very good image quality, price

Cons:

12mm not as large as 10mm, but one can live with it

I bought this lens in Nikon mount, used in perfectly new conditions, while I was looking for a UWA lens that goes down to 10mm. Since I didn't want to pay the cost of the new Nikkor 10-24, I was considering the Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 and Tamron 10-24, but eventually went for the better image quality and remarkable build quality of the Tokina.
I use this lens mostly to "play" with the perspective, and for this purpose the longer minimum focal length is not really that big of a limitation (you just try to get closer to your subject).
Build quality is top-notch, on-par with professional Nikkors. In fact, this is the heaviest UWA for DX, and it feels. Barrel is made mostly of metal and both zoom and focus rings are smooth and nice to use.
Image quality is very good already wide open. I read it suffers of CA, but in my experience it is not so bad to make you turn away from it at all.

Nov 4, 2009

baraynavabOfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Mar 21, 2007Location: United StatesPosts: 5

Review Date: Nov 1, 2009

Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $350.00
| Rating: 10

Pros:

Amazing build, Very Sharp, Constant F/4, Great Colors, The AF/MF clutch is actually useful the way its made, Price

Cons:

None

I love this lens. I bought it used and its one of my favorite lens. I use it all the time. Its very sharp, the colors on this lens are just amazing...

Ofcourse the build quality of this lens is awesome as well. If Tokina makes lens like this I would not mind buying only Tokina Len's as my Canon alternates...my first experience with them has been great.

I owned this lens very briefly, I ended up selling it to help fund another lens purchase and I MISS IT. It was one of the best UWA lenses I've used having never used the Nikon variant and will definitely buy it again.

The lens is sharp. At 12mm, you will see some very visible barrel distortion but it's so predictable that it can easily be fixed through software. At first, I was skeptical of the MF/AF clutch but after using it, it's a smart and intuitive implementation.

The construction, as many others have pointed out, is phenomenal. In my opinion, it's built to last you a very very long time. Kudos to Tokina.

As for my one caveat, the hood leaves much to be desired. When reveresed, it tends to pop off once in a while. Not too often, but once in a while that it becomes annoying.

Also, on a side note: IMHO, Tokina has one of the best designed rear caps. Better than the Nikon one. Positive engagement, good coverate (to help protect more of your lens' mount), and, unlike the other third party brands, you don't have to line it up with a dot.

My overall 6 rating is acknowledgement that my lens probably was not a representative copy; however, with this thought aside, I'd probably give it a four or 5, as it really didn't meet my expectations.

With all I've heard about this lens, I believe I got a bad copy and my mistake was not fully testing it before the 15-day return period (lesson learned!). I could take very sharp photos with it, but the AF was way soft -- out of focus alltogether. I sent it in for recalibration under the warranty period and was told it met factory specifications. I can't agree. See my post in the Canon forum on 3/19/09 (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/752268/0?keyword=Tokina#6856670). I was very unimpressed with my copy, and with Tokina's service as well.

I've owned Tokina before and I think they're good lenses, but this one was not for me. I recently picked up a Canon EF-S 10-22 and am VERY pleased with it in every respect (though you can't beat Tokina's build). Very happy with the Canon.

Jul 31, 2009

maddog76OfflineImage Upload: Off

Registered: Oct 11, 2008Location: United KingdomPosts: 0

Review Date: Jul 23, 2009

Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated

Pros:

Built like a tank. Excellent all round performance. IQ. Price

Cons:

None

Have been using this lens, for almost a year now, and it still never fails to impress me.

The build qualitity is great, good robust feel, well finished, silent and smooth operation. Better build IMHO than any other wide angle lens out there.

I have used this lens in all weather and light conditions, no problem with hunting or CA. The IQ has been consistantly good.

If you are thinking of getting a wide angle, please do not dismiss this lens. Yes some have a wider field of view, but generally the 2mm is not missed. I have not had any situation where it has not been wide enough for my uses.

Not nearly as good as I was expecting. Indeed I even sent it back for calibration and testing as I didn't think it could be supposed to be this average. The lab said it was 'within tolerances'. Not impressed.

Nicely built and relatively cheap and the push-pull manual focusing works well, but not properly sharp at any focal length and with simply awful chromatic abberations at 12mm, even at the best apertures.